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Free political commentary for the dissenting South AfricanThu, 15 Feb 2018 10:05:56 +0000en-GBhourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4https://i2.wp.com/rationalstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/cropped-RS-Logo.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1News – Rational Standardhttps://rationalstandard.com
323294510741Government’s Blockade of Funds Is An “Act of War” – Cape Partyhttps://rationalstandard.com/government-blockade-funds-act-war/
https://rationalstandard.com/government-blockade-funds-act-war/#commentsMon, 29 Jan 2018 14:41:20 +0000https://rationalstandard.com/?p=7238Editor’s note: This article was adapted from a Cape Party press release published on Facebook. With day zero fast approaching and the Democratic Alliance (DA)-led municipal council bungling efforts to avert a total disaster in Cape Town, the African National Congress (ANC)-led national government continues to stonewall any emergency relief efforts to help avoid the […]

]]>Editor’s note: This article was adapted from a Cape Party press release published on Facebook.

With day zero fast approaching and the Democratic Alliance (DA)-led municipal council bungling efforts to avert a total disaster in Cape Town, the African National Congress (ANC)-led national government continues to stonewall any emergency relief efforts to help avoid the impending disaster, according to Jack Miller, leader of the Cape Party.

“These actions are reminiscent of Joseph Stalin’s Berlin blockade of 1948, in which Stalin spitefully closed the city down, and goods had to be airlifted in for more than a year” says Miller.

Miller believes that national government’s blockade of funds to the Western Cape constitutes an “act of war” against the people of Cape Town and the Western Cape.

He cited the Division of Revenue Act, a piece of national legislation passed every year to “provide for the equitable division of revenue raised nationally among the national, provincial and local spheres of government for the […] financial year, the determination of each province’s equitable share and allocations to provinces, local government and municipalities from national government’s equitable share and the responsibilities of all three spheres pursuant to such division and allocations”. According to Miller, the City of Cape Town alone contributes R150 billion in taxes to the Treasury, but receives only R2 billion in return, to supplement the city’s annual budget.

“The crime is greater than most people believe. 86% of the city budget is already drawn from the pockets of Capetonians in rates and levies. The national government only gives back 5% of what they collect. We are demanding some of the money collected in Cape Town to be returned to alleviate the crisis”, says Miller

Miller attributed the crisis to poor governance at all levels. “It is an outrage that the city’s water augmentation schemes are behind schedule and will only take effect after the city runs out of water”.

Miller said that Cape Town was not helped by infighting and instability within the Western Cape DA.

“Patricia De Lille was evidently the wrong choice for Mayor. She has been sidelined in part because of her mismanagement of the water crisis, but the question is: Why did the DA take so long to act?”

]]>https://rationalstandard.com/government-blockade-funds-act-war/feed/27238FMF Launches ‘R1 Million Challenge’ To Promote Free Markethttps://rationalstandard.com/fmf-challenge/
https://rationalstandard.com/fmf-challenge/#commentsMon, 08 Jan 2018 10:16:11 +0000http://rationalstandard.com/?p=4588The Free Market Foundation (FMF) is in the process of raising funds for its various projects by way of the “R1 Million Challenge”. Unlike a government department which is plugged into the ostensibly endless supply of taxpayer money to try all the bad answers to social problems, the FMF has identified the correct (and only […]

Unlike a government department which is plugged into the ostensibly endless supply of taxpayer money to try all the bad answers to social problems, the FMF has identified the correct (and only real) solutions to many of South Africa’s problems but relies on voluntary donations.

The FMF was founded in 1975 to promote and foster an open society, the Rule of Law, personal liberty, and economic and press freedom as fundamental components of its advocacy of human rights and democracy based on classical liberal principles.

It has been in the news lately for the work it has done on the new Electronic Communications Amendment Bill. The FMF argues that the new policy will likely exacerbate the problems identified in the controversial #DataMustFall campaign, as the government intends to nationalise much of South Africa’s ICT infrastructure. The FMF has also resolutely opposed the introduction of National Health Insurance, arguing that the project is unaffordable and that a consequence of the policy would be the destruction of South Africa’s private healthcare industry.

]]>https://rationalstandard.com/fmf-challenge/feed/14588UCT Assembly: Truth or Dare?https://rationalstandard.com/uct-assembly-truth-dare/
https://rationalstandard.com/uct-assembly-truth-dare/#commentsSun, 05 Nov 2017 09:34:52 +0000https://rationalstandard.com/?p=6788On 1 November 2017, UCT students and staff gathered on the steps and plaza in front of the perhaps-soon-to-be “Saartjie” Baartman Memorial Hall. The meeting was chaired by a senior officer from the UCT Student Parliament, with Deputy UCT Council Chairperson Debbie Budlender acting as a secondary co-chair. The purpose of this gathering was to […]

]]>On 1 November 2017, UCT students and staff gathered on the steps and plaza in front of the perhaps-soon-to-be “Saartjie” Baartman Memorial Hall. The meeting was chaired by a senior officer from the UCT Student Parliament, with Deputy UCT Council Chairperson Debbie Budlender acting as a secondary co-chair. The purpose of this gathering was to allow a broad range of speakers to discuss (for a few minutes each) “the institution’s view on issues such as free education, fee increments and financial exclusion”. In fact, rightly so, the discussion traversed many other issues/grievances, since ‘fee-less’ education is only part of the solution to the myriad of challenges that must be met to transform/’decolonize’ South African tertiary education.

The first speaker, Angela Trotter (spelling?), a student who claimed to have no affiliation with any structure at UCT, made a telling statement, echoing words spoken by UCT’s first registrar, Wilfred Murray, more than 80 years ago. Murray said that central management had to “justify its existence“ in terms of its ability to serve the learning process. Angela said: “We are not here for management. Management is here for us.”

She then deftly called for “a point of order” and demanded that controversial, pro-Fallist Dr Lwazi Lushaba (UCT Political Studies) be allowed to speak broadly and out of turn and called for audience acclamation. This demand was met with loud applause and shouting by some and acceded to by the chairperson.

Lushaba spoke for nearly 20 minutes (more than five times longer than any other speaker).

He immediate delineated his audience, Comrades and Black people, a called for the “defeat of White settlers”. I summarize his comments largely using his words.

At first, he kept to topic, albeit from a racial point of view: “Free education is a problem for Black not White people. This struggle is not for poor people. It is for Black people. Until we face the realities of history, will not be able to deal with the present, let alone prepare for the future. If you are Black, you are disadvantaged in every respect. If you are White, you are advantaged in every respect. The struggle for free education is not about money. The problem is the value system of education.”

Currently, “UCT is a place where Blacks are prepared to enter and compete within ‘The Market’. What we want is an educational system that is infused with different values systems and for Blacks to actualize themselves and their potential.”

“For a person to benefit individually, the society must benefit first.”

UCT continues to “teach precisely the same ideas it taught during Apartheid in order to perpetuate the colonial system. The task of thinking has been made an exclusive preserve of White people. Blacks cannot produce knowledge.”

“There is a structure [current ad hominem promotion procedures] that ensures that we are kept outside of the academy. This is not accidental. It is by design. Those who are beneficiaries of colonialism and Apartheid [Whites] and, consequently occupy [senior academic/admin?] positions must have the decency to listen to the oppressed. They will learn, even if it’s painful, they will learn.”

He refused to cede the stage when respectfully requested to do so by co-chair Budlender. He insisted on another five minutes or the meeting would “degenerate”.

“White people provoke us and tell us how to respond to the provocation. We have no autonomy of thought.”

“The goal of university education is not to gain employment, but to contribute to society.”

He called for UCT students to create a new system that “re-humanizes and enables Blacks”.

After more forceful intervention from the chairperson, he concluded:

“We must tell the White people who are threatening to walk away that a time will come along soon when we will run UCT on our own and give them a new value system and not at the whim of ‘White’ sentiment.”

So much for the “Truth”.

Thereafter, the comments were much shorter and were more like “Dares” for people to deliver and “justify their existence”. Again, I rely on quotations.

The out-going SRC president to management: “I am sick of you placing the onus of transformation entirely on us”. “Why do you put the whole responsibility of caring for the mentally ill students on me and other students?”

A newly elected DASO-affiliated SRC member: “Chairperson, do your job and ensure that I am allowed to speak.”

A man wearing a red EFF beret: “We have come to UCT to suffer mentally, die via suicide or be murdered. White people must foot the [fee] bill for all.” “If you are rich you are White. If you are White, you are rich.” “Nothing about this university is Africa. Nothing about this university is democratic.”

When a DASO SRC speaker was heckled when he proposed that students from wealthy families must pay fees, he begged the chairperson: “Please do your job”.

When an incoming Black woman SRC member tried to speak, she was met with derision that devolved into extreme heckling. She demanded to be heard, but was silenced.

I guess the biggest “Dare” is now from UCT’s >33 000 peaceful, law-abiding, “Silenced Majority” of students and staff and the approximately 150 000 un-consulted alumni who “gained employment”, to the “do-nothing” Management. Justify your existence [and bonuses] and deal once and for all with the less than 200 law-breaking Fallists, or resign and be replaced by someone who will.

]]>https://rationalstandard.com/uct-assembly-truth-dare/feed/26788More South Africans receive grants than have jobs: IRR Reportshttps://rationalstandard.com/sa-receive-grants-jobs-irr/
https://rationalstandard.com/sa-receive-grants-jobs-irr/#commentsWed, 21 Jun 2017 21:54:45 +0000https://rationalstandard.com/?p=5677The South African Institution of Race Relations (IRR) have released a statement illustrating their findings from their latest South Africa Survey. The press release is titled: “More South Africans receive grants than have jobs – a recipe for chaos and violence” – and paints a worrying picture for the future of the country. The findings reveal that more […]

]]>The South African Institution of Race Relations (IRR) have released a statement illustrating their findings from their latest South Africa Survey. The press release is titled: “More South Africans receive grants than have jobs – a recipe for chaos and violence” – and paints a worrying picture for the future of the country.

The findings reveal that more South Africans receive welfare grants than have jobs. As of 2016, 15.5 million people have jobs in South Africa, while over 17 million people receive social grants, reports IRR Analyst Gerbrandt van Heerden.

Van Heerden commented on the findings below:

“The numbers are a recipe for social and political chaos. With South Africa formally in recession, the government will find it difficult to afford the cost of its social grants programme. As the economy stagnates, and tax revenue slows, demand for more grants will increase. The government will then have to cut other areas of expenditure in order to meet popular demands for more and higher grants. We predict that this will lead to much higher levels of violent protest action.”

The IRR Survey illustrates that initial numbers of merely 3.9 million grant receivers has grown by 328%. Job availability has only grown by 24%.

With a flagging economy, expansion of the grant system (which seems inevitable under the current trend) will come under great strain, and the government will struggle to increase the value of grants to keep up with rising costs.

Van Heerden argues that while the social grants have helped to improve living standards, they are precarious, as grant rollouts will struggle to expand further, and will eventually lead to declining living standards as grants are unable to keep up with prices. As living standards drop, social cohesion will then breakdown and lead to unrest. This hearkens to an issue that IRR CEO Frans Cronje has discussed in the past, the “crisis of rising expectations”. As living standards improve, people will want more, and will be less tolerant of drops in those living standards. This reaches a peak, where living standards cannot improve fast enough or at all, causing angst and frustration in the population.

To maintain the grant system, so to avoid a political crisis and a breakdown in social cohesion, the state may redirect funds from other parts of the budget, leading to a lack of necessary capital for the functioning of other state apparatus. This is especially troublesome, as the grant system acts as a form of ‘sink hole’, with little return on investment compared to other functions. Unfortunately, in an effort to maintain the system so necessary for maintaining their votes and societal order, the state may sacrifice the budgets of more important functions (like security) in order to keep the grant system afloat.

This crisis comes during a massive economic slump, culminating due to years of economic restrictions, trade union meddling and security incompetence leading to South Africa being a less than ideal investment location for locals and foreigners. As such, employment has struggled to grow, with the state opting to rather employ civil servants, who continue to drain the fiscus rather than generate real wealth.

While the grant system has improved living conditions, it has proved to be unsustainable. While grants are meant to be stopgaps against destitution, they can breed apathy and dependence. Most importantly, grants drain wealth without producing. South Africa needs real employment so to produce real wealth. With real employment will come a sustainable model of wealth generation and the dignity of work.

]]>https://rationalstandard.com/sa-receive-grants-jobs-irr/feed/15677HuffPost SA Editor-in-Chief Verashni Pillay Resignshttps://rationalstandard.com/huffpost-editor-chief-verashni-pillay-resigns/
https://rationalstandard.com/huffpost-editor-chief-verashni-pillay-resigns/#commentsSat, 22 Apr 2017 18:57:21 +0000https://rationalstandard.com/?p=5319Tonight, 22 April 2017, Huffington Post South Africa’s Editor-in-Chief, Verashni Pillay, resigned, according to News24. This comes after a statement by the Press Ombud, who condemned the editorial actions of Pillay in her acceptance and defence of an article that called to remove the white male franchise. Pillay has been the subject of much scrutiny […]

This comes after a statement by the Press Ombud, who condemned the editorial actions of Pillay in her acceptance and defence of an article that called to remove the white male franchise. Pillay has been the subject of much scrutiny since defending the piece and it later being revealed that the article was submitted by an individual who meant to entrap the site.

While the Postattempted to draw attention away from their own failings by demonising Marius Roodt, the author of the trap-piece, this was evidently not enough. Roodt resigned from his employment because his actions, and now Pillay has done the same.

The Postwas ordered to apologise for its publishing of the piece by the ombud, Johan Retief. He argued that the piece incited hate speech and breached the Press Code. He further argued that Pillay’s pulling of the piece was not due to any editorial sensibility, but because they had found out that they had been trapped by an imposter. All blame for the publishing of the piece rested on the editorial team and the editor.

It was made obvious that Pillay was supportive of the article’s ideas when in her defence of the article she stated that the content was “pretty standard for feminist theory”.

Retief wrote:

“The blog was discriminatory and denigratory to white males, and impaired the dignity of some men in this group. By publishing, she also impaired the dignity of some white men, a breach of Section 3.3 of the code which cautions the media to ‘exercise care and consideration in matters involving dignity and reputation…”

It is worrying that dignity and reputation apparently have to be protected, but it is clear that Pillay violated the Press Code and may have violated the Huffington Post‘s own editorial guidelines.

The piece was also condemned by Retief for further damaging the media’s reputation, by allowing an entrapment article to be published.

What is not clear is if Pillay’s resignation was pressured or purely voluntary. The same remains unclear as to Roodt’s resignation.

Editorial control of the site will be reassigned to Ferial Haffajee and Pieter du Toit until a new editor is appointed.

]]>https://rationalstandard.com/huffpost-editor-chief-verashni-pillay-resigns/feed/95319White Male Trolls ‘Social Justice’ Press Media – Calls for Disenfranchising White Maleshttps://rationalstandard.com/white-trolls-social-justice-press-disenfranchising-white-males/
https://rationalstandard.com/white-trolls-social-justice-press-disenfranchising-white-males/#commentsSun, 16 Apr 2017 14:04:31 +0000https://rationalstandard.com/?p=5297The now-infamous blog post on The Huffington Post South Africa calling for the disenfranchisement of white males appears to have been written by a white male, in an attempt to expose the state of journalism, according to an exclusive report by The Renegade Report. News of the controversial article titled “Could It Be Time To […]

]]>The now-infamous blog post on The Huffington Post South Africa calling for the disenfranchisement of white males appears to have been written by a white male, in an attempt to expose the state of journalism, according to an exclusive report by The Renegade Report.

News of the controversial article titled “Could It Be Time To Deny White Men The Franchise?” by one “Shelley Garland” quickly spread across the world, with such figures such as provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, InfoWars’ Paul Joseph Watson, and liberal Dave Rubin taking note and expressing their disapproval. Even Fox News ran a report on the article. The article has since been taken down.

HuffPost SA’s Editor in Chief, Verashni Pillay, expressed her support for article, writing “there was nothing in the article that should have shocked or surprised anybody…” She continued, ” Those who have held undue power granted to them by patriarchy must lose it for us to be truly equal. This seems blindingly obvious to us.” Pillay’s defense of the article has also been taken down since it was revealed that “Shelley Garland” was not a real person.

According to information obtained by The Renegade Report, it turns out that “Shelley Garland” was a pseudonym used by a white male – who identified himself as “Nick Shannow” – who wrote the article.

Shannow indicated to the Report‘s Roman Cabanac and Jonathan Witt that he believed “one could write any kind of collectivist tripe, as long as the target was white men,” and set about testing his theory by submitting the infamous article. He turned out to be correct. “This is an indictment on South African journalism in general, and the Huffington Post in particular[,]” wrote Shannow.

“Although [Verashni Pillay], claims that her website does not necessarily agree with what I said, it is unlikely that she would publish a piece with the same sentiments but aimed at a different race group written by someone ostensibly from the other side of the political spectrum[,]” noted Shannow aptly.

“It has become increasingly common to see editors, who are supposed to maintain a rational standard and ensure all publicised views are logically-informed, liberally allow the commentariat to say what they want, adhering to no sense of reason. While we believe, strongly, that people should be able to say whatever pleases them, we do not think it is responsible nor ethical for editors to entertain and host such fallacious diatribes.”

It would appear that this has remained true, especially for clearly-ideological publications such as The Huffington Post which hide behind the facade of responsible journalism.

HuffPost SA should join the Rational Standard in being open and honest about its political-philosophical biases, lest humiliations such as “Garlandgate” continue.

]]>https://rationalstandard.com/white-trolls-social-justice-press-disenfranchising-white-males/feed/65297Weed Legalised for Private Usehttps://rationalstandard.com/weed-legalised-private-use/
https://rationalstandard.com/weed-legalised-private-use/#commentsFri, 31 Mar 2017 09:29:09 +0000http://rationalstandard.com/?p=5186In a stunning turn of events, the Western Cape High Court has legalised the use if marijuana/dagga/weed for private use. The Court declared that “it is an infringement to ban the use of dagga by adults in private homes.” (Business Tech) The ruling has allowed for the: Possession Cultivation Use of dagga At home and […]

]]>In a stunning turn of events, the Western Cape High Court has legalised the use if marijuana/dagga/weed for private use.

The Court declared that “it is an infringement to ban the use of dagga by adults in private homes.” (Business Tech)

The ruling has allowed for the:

Possession

Cultivation

Use of dagga

At home and for private use. This is, of course, only relevant for adults.

Long-time dagga advocates, Jeremy Acton and Garreth Prince, were the individuals who applied to the High Court to declare certain sections of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act to be unconstitutional in December 13th and 14th of last year.

The pair managed to successfully argue that prohibition of marijuana use was “unfair, discriminatory, outdated, and applied disproportionately to black users.” (News24)

With this decriminalisation, the court has ruled that Parliament change contravening sections of the Drug Trafficking Act, as well as the Medicines Control Act. This must take place within 24 months of the ruling.

This comes as a victory for many activists and lobbyists who have dedicated much of their lives to legalising the plant. Not only does it come as a victory for medical marijuana advocates, who had something akin to victory earlier this year, but for all freedom-loving South Africa – regardless if they partake or not.

While regulations, government strategies and other nuances are still vague at this moment, it is a relief to see at least some civil liberties being acknowledged in this country. Going forward, we just hope that state interference does not turn the industry into a draconian mess, akin to prohibition.

Hopefully, regulations will be minimal, allowing the South African economy to fully exploit the now legalised substance – enriching tourism and other industries. This will not be possible with the current trajectory of regulations in this country, unfortunately – but one can hope.

]]>https://rationalstandard.com/weed-legalised-private-use/feed/15186A new day, a new Cabinet, the same Presidenthttps://rationalstandard.com/new-day-cabinet-same-president/
https://rationalstandard.com/new-day-cabinet-same-president/#commentsThu, 30 Mar 2017 22:13:02 +0000http://rationalstandard.com/?p=5174Please refer to the bottom of the article for updated information In this follow-up to our breaking news report on President Jacob Zuma’s sacking of former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and several others, we report on how Cabinet has been changed. News24 reports that Malusi Gigaba, not Sfiso Buthelezi, would be the new Minister of […]

In this follow-up to our breaking news report on President Jacob Zuma’s sacking of former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and several others, we report on how Cabinet has been changed.

News24 reports that Malusi Gigaba, not Sfiso Buthelezi, would be the new Minister of Finance. Gigaba is the former home affairs minister. Buthelezi is to be the deputy finance minister.

Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo is to be the new Minister of Health, replacing the World Health Organization’s unofficial ambassador to South Africa, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, who has reportedly not been redeployed.

Commissar for Communist Indoctrination (otherwise known as higher education minister) Blade Nzimande has been sacked from Cabinet – he will now need to find another way to fund ‘free’ university education. Comrade Rob Davies, the Minister against Trade and Industry has also apparently been fired without redeployment. South Africa might finally be exiting the Cold War, almost three decades late. Davies and Nzimande are joined by economic development minister Ebrahim Patel, state security minister David Mahlobo, and finance minister Gordhan, none of whom appear to have a portfolio in the new Cabinet.

Updates as they happen.

UPDATE: Final Cabinet List

Minister of Energy, Ms Mmamoloko “Nkhensani” Kubayi

Minister of Transport, Mr Joe Maswanganyi

Minister of Finance, Mr Malusi Gigaba

Minister of Police, Mr Fikile Mbalula

Minister of Public Works, Mr Nathi Nhleko

Minister of Sports and Recreation, Mr Thembelani Nxesi

Minister of Tourism, Ms Tokozile Xasa

Minister of Public Service and Administration, Ms Faith Muthambi

Minister of Home Affairs, Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize

Minister of Communications, Ms Ayanda Dlodlo

While the removal of inept Communist ministers such as Davies and Nzimande is something to celebrate, many new appointments are very questionable. Constant reshuffling and re-appointment is never good for skill retention and many of the new appointments are completely unproven in their new office.

The Rand is facing major drops as uncertainty over the new appointments shocks the market. Gordhan, for all his misgivings, had been re-assuring the market. Gigaba, a Zuma-loyalist, is expected to use his position to further aid Zuma’s power grab and control over the treasury.

UPDATE: 31st of March 2017

Despite speculation and initial reports that SACP members Davies and Nzimande had been fired, this has been revealed to not be true. We do await if they will fulfill their promise and resign willingly, however.

]]>https://rationalstandard.com/new-day-cabinet-same-president/feed/35174BREAKING: Our Democracy is Burning Again: Gordhan Gonehttps://rationalstandard.com/breaking-democracy-burning-gordhan-gone/
https://rationalstandard.com/breaking-democracy-burning-gordhan-gone/#commentsThu, 30 Mar 2017 20:27:36 +0000http://rationalstandard.com/?p=5169According to News24, President Jacob Zuma has just fired finance minister Pravin Gordhan, after days of speculation. African National Congress (ANC) member of parliament Sfiso Norbert Buthelezi has been named as Gordhan’s likely replacement. This comes after the President called Gordhan home from an investment roadshow in London on Monday, 27 March. Several other ministers […]

]]>According to News24, President Jacob Zuma has just fired finance minister Pravin Gordhan, after days of speculation. African National Congress (ANC) member of parliament Sfiso Norbert Buthelezi has been named as Gordhan’s likely replacement.

This comes after the President called Gordhan home from an investment roadshow in London on Monday, 27 March. Several other ministers and deputy ministers, including public enterprises minister Lynne Brown, tourism minister Derek Hanekom, and social development minister Bathabile Dlamini have also been sacked or redeployed, according to News24. Twitterbro and joker in chief Fikile Mbalula (apparently our now-former sports minister) has reportedly been appointed Minister of Police.

The market is expected to react negatively to the news, once again manifesting the shocking indirect power a human resources decision in the halls of government can have on the broader economy. Meanwhile, South Africans continue to place blame with the person of Jacob Zuma, rather than the immense power which the office of the President and the finance ministry wields.

“Gordhan, a communist, will at least not be perceived as a total puppet to the whims of Jacob Zuma. But as I have pointed out repeatedly, in our style and system of government, the President, and moreover the ruling party’s National Executive Committee, will always get what they want in the end.”

The SA Communist Party has made its displeasure about Gordhan’s sacking clear, with some political analysts speculating that the Tripartite Alliance itself will fall apart. Gordhan is a SACP stalwart.

Buthelezi has been a member of the parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance since April 2016, and the former Chairperson of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa Board. According to News24, Buthelezi is known for “criticising National Treasury for not taking a tougher stance against corporates“.

There have been reports that Jacob Zuma has agreed to resign next year in exchange for condonation of his decision to sack Gordhan by fellow NEC members.

]]>https://rationalstandard.com/breaking-democracy-burning-gordhan-gone/feed/55169DASO Rhodes racially slandered by PASMAhttps://rationalstandard.com/daso-rhodes-slandered/
https://rationalstandard.com/daso-rhodes-slandered/#commentsThu, 02 Mar 2017 21:31:50 +0000http://rationalstandard.com/?p=4967On the evening of the 2nd of March, the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) at Rhodes University was attacked with accusations of racism and actual racial attacks just before the Rhodes University hosted their annual society sign ups. The racial attacks and accusations were written on paper signs posted outside the Great Hall where signs ups […]

]]>Forms used to slander the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO)

On the evening of the 2nd of March, the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) at Rhodes University was attacked with accusations of racism and actual racial attacks just before the Rhodes University hosted their annual society sign ups.

The racial attacks and accusations were written on paper signs posted outside the Great Hall where signs ups for societies were held.

Signs with the phrases such as “BLACK STUDENTS DO NOT JOIN DA/DASO!!!” were put up by the Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania (PASMA), the student organisation associated with the political party, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania. It is suspected that a few other societies may have also been involved.

The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania is, of course, a collectivist and racialist party built around pseudo-historicism and collective hatred. Its student wing is by no means any more reasonable. The slander campaign was no doubted fueled by simple partisan hate and racism.

Such collectivist slurs and slander are no doubt disgraceful.

The notion that one’s political or economic views should somehow be defined by their skin colour is the hallmark of the racist and the collectivist. The actions of PASMA need to be condemned for bringing a hateful ideology onto campus, diluting the political discourse, slandering a society and violating campus policy. This policy is that all posters must be ratified by the Student Council (SRC). These posters were not, and the culprits must be given the appropriate punishment for violating campus policy.

If PASMA were afraid of losing students to DASO, they should rather have examined their own policies. Individuals – contrary to what the collectivist left might like to think – have individual opinions and views, which are not defined by one’s physical appearance. PASMA must realise this, rather than blaming their unpopularity on race.